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In the midst of the hustle and bustle of Times Square in the heart of New York City, St. Malachy’s Church — The Actors’ Chapel is a haven of quiet and prayer. It is also an active parish where stars and ordinary New Yorkers (if any New Yorker can be called ordinary) rub shoulders throughout the week. The young, peripatetic pastor, Father Richard Baker, keeps the parish hopping with his formidable personality, lots of panache and great pastoral skill.

St. Malachy's pastor, Father Richard Baker. (CNS/Greg Shemitz)

St. Malachy’s is also home to the New York office of Catholic News Service.

Established in 1902, St. Malachy’s gained fame as a spiritual home for members of the entertainment community, beginning in the 1920s. Joan Crawford and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. were married at St. Malachy’s in 1929, and other notable worshippers included Rudolph Valentino, George M. Cohan, Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, Danny Thomas and Rosalind Russell. Fred Allen, Don Ameche, Cyril Ritchard and Jimmy Durante took their turns as altar servers.

This week, reporter Raphael Pallais of GloboMaestro, featured St. Malachy’s in this video. It’s a great slice of New York Catholic life.

Check it out, and stop in the next time you’re between Broadway shows.